


by your side

by anunknownagenda



Series: Zutara Month (2020) [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comfort, F/M, Fire Lord Zuko, Katara Stays Behind, Romance, Supportive Partners, Zuko Not Alone, Zutara Month, Zutara Month 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22748896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anunknownagenda/pseuds/anunknownagenda
Summary: She healed him and nothing was the same.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Zutara Month (2020) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1619845
Kudos: 73





	by your side

**Author's Note:**

> Zutara Month 2020 Prompt: Season 4 Zutara

He took lightning for her.

  
  


_“You could have died.”_

  
  


_“I know, but,” his tone is soft, “I didn’t.”_

  
  


He took lightning for her and it changed _everything_.

  
  


_“I could have dodged it,” her eyes don’t quite meet his, “there was time.”_

  
  


_His lips quirk, “Probably.”_

  
  


She healed him. 

  
  


_“Katara,” his fingers gently brush against her wrist, “look at me.”_

  
  


She healed him and _nothing_ was the same.

  
  


_“I’m okay.”_

  
  


_Her hands tremble, “You weren’t.”_

  
  


The emotions linger or maybe they’d always been there— she decides to stay. 

  
  


_“I know.” he sends her a small smile, “But, I’d do it again, if I had to.”_

  
  


_“Zuko.”_

  
  


Everything was different and somehow, it feels like they've gone off-script. She doesn’t regret it. 

  
  


_He watches her eyebrows crinkle in frustration at his words._

  
  


_“You...you have a scar,” her eyes squeeze tight in an effort to stop tears from falling, “because of me.”_

  
  


_“I don’t regret it.”_

  
  


The war was over.

  
  


_“Thank you.”_

  
  


_He smiles softly, “I think,” his hand cups her cheek “I’m the one who should be thanking you.”_

  
  


And she chose to stay.

**Author's Note:**

> Every day is a battle with my constant writers block (ಥ ͜ʖಥ) hahahaha....
> 
> Anyway, personal struggles aside— I don’t understand why no one (especially Iroh) stayed behind to help Zuko? Or at least visited often to help him with ruling a whole nation? He was 16-17 years old, banished for the 3-4 years, ignored when he returned for that short while and then he left. 
> 
> When, in all of those years, was he properly taught how to lead a whole nation? He needed a support system and he didn’t get one. 
> 
> So, we’re gonna ignore all of that and have Katara (and sometimes Iroh) be there as his support system. Katara does visit the South Pole— it’s where she grew up, her roots, but the Fire Nation (Zuko) becomes her home.
> 
> Thank you for reading! ^ᴗ^/


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